The Oak Ridge Heritage and Preservation Association (ORHPA) and the Scarboro Community Alumni Committee are pleased to invite the community to a full day of Celebration , September 10th, in honor of the 8oth Anniversary of the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge and the 67th Anniversary of the Desegregation of Oak Ridge Schools.
The Oak Ridge History Museum, 102 Robertsville Rd., will be open with free admission from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. The Museum has a focus on the Manhattan Project in Oak Ridge and life in Oak Ridge during the war years. It also includes an exhibit celebrating the desegregation of Oak Ridge Schools and honoring the 85 students who made history in 1955. A Silent Auction will run through the day for anyone interested in adding to their collection of pre- and post-WWII era artifacts.
From 10 a.m. until 9 p.m. the Scarboro Community Center will be the location of “It Just Takes 85”, a Scarboro Community Fun Day with food, games, music, 3-on-3 basketball and activities for the entire family. All proceeds from this event will support the Scarboro 85 Scholarship Endowment.
Cindy Kelly, President of the Atomic Heritage Foundation
ORHPA will culminate the 80th Celebration with an evening of music and historic information at the Historic Grove Theater in Grove Center. Admission is free, but donations to ORHPA are welcome. Doors will open at 6:30, with entertainment provided by the Oak Ridge High School Performing Arts Students beginning at 7 p.m. Following the 40’s style radio program performed by these talented students, the program will culminate with our guest speaker, Cynthia C. Kelly, President of the Atomic Heritage Foundation with her planned address “How Oak Ridge Changed the World: Reflections on Eighty Years”. She will be introduced by Oak Ridge’s own Jim Campbell, former President of the East Tennessee Economic Council. Cynthia Kelly’s presentation is summarized as:
In September 1942, Oak Ridge was chosen to play a critical role in the Manhattan Project. Illustrated throughout, Cynthia C. Kelly’s talk will reflect on how Oak Ridge changed the world. With colorful first-hand accounts, the presentation will highlight leaders such as Kenneth Nichols, Clarence Larson, and Percival Keith, as well as younger recruits including Bill Wilcox, Sam Beall, Colleen Black, and Virginia Coleman. From a few thousand farming families to a population of 75,000 three years later, this “secret city” in East Tennessee helped end World War II and left a legacy of innovation in science and technology that continues today. It’s a story well worth remembering.
Please mark your calendars and come be a part of this exciting day, involving our wonderful community of Oak Ridge. Let’s celebrate all we have accomplished and all that is yet to come.
